Furries gather for a photo op Saturday at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh as part of Anthrocon, which organizers bill as the world's largest convention for those fascinated with animal characters.

Sniffer the Husky checks his phone in a cooling area at the Westin Convention Center Hotel during Anthrocon. The head of a fursuit can reach 120 to 130 degrees, said Anthrocon Programming Director John Cole.

A costume head rests in what's called a "Headless Zone," an area where fursuiters, or furries in costume, can go to remove pieces of their costumes and cool down. Many fursuiters prefer not to reveal themselves out of costume, so the rooms offer privacy.

Convention-goers make their way toward Anthrocon. Since its first convention in Pittsburgh in 2006, Anthrocon has contributed more than $28 million in direct spending in the local economy, according to VisitPittsburgh, which works with Anthrocon.

Throughout the convention, the scene outside the Westin Convention Center Hotel was often crowded with furries and onlookers hoping for a photo. In this case, a fursuiter simply tries to navigate the crowd.

Since 2006, furries, or people fascinated with anthropomorphics, have descended on Pittsburgh for Anthrocon. It's billed as the world's largest furry convention, and this year, organizers expected the event to attract more than 5,500 participants.

"Anthrocon has become so deeply entwined with Pittsburgh itself," said Anthrocon CEO Samuel Conway. "This is a magnificent city, and heck, if they want to keep having us, we'll keep coming back."

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Billed as the world's largest furry convention, Anthrocon is returning to Pittsburgh Thursday through Sunday. The much-anticipated Pittsburgh tradition is expected to attract more than 5,500 participants, some in costume, some not.

“We’re all furries,” said Anthrocon Inc. CEO Samuel Conway. “That’s the catch-all term for the fandom. We are furries. The people in the costume – we refer to the costumes, our own little lingo, they are fursuits. So they are fursuiters, the people who are wearing them.”